Search form

Believe in U.S.: Hannah Kearney

by

USSA

2013-12-09 17:33

“They only give the individual athlete a gold medal, but no one gets to the top of the podium by themselves.” – Olympic Champion Hannah Kearney (Getty Images/Kevork Djansezian)

“They only give the individual athlete a gold medal, but no one gets to the top of the podium by themselves.” – Olympic Champion Hannah Kearney. Believe in U.S. is the rallying cry of the U.S. Ski Team going into the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. Athletes like Hannah Kearney ride on the wings of belief of family, friends and the American public.

Believe in U.S.: Hannah Kearney

Olympic gold medalist Hannah Kearney has lived the Olympic dream, from her beginnings with the Ford Sayre program to the top of the podium at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. For Kearney, it’s easy to see how all the support over the years has come together as a recipe for success.

“If I think back on my life and why I’ve been successful in my career, it has nothing to do with me. It has a lot to do with my upbringing, the support my family gave me. I never would’ve put skis on if it wasn’t for them.”

Her family provided the means for her competitive spirit to flourish, while the instruction and belief of coaches helped ripen her competitive edge.

“A coach is someone who pushes you to be better than you are at the moment. They can believe in you before you believe in yourself, which will elevate you to a new level.

I had coaches that said ‘that girl’s going to ski in the Olympics one day’ before I ever thought that was possible.”

By the time she won her World Championship moguls title in 2005, it was clear her coaches were right. She made the Olympic team in 2006 but didn’t qualify for her event. So she buckled down for the next four years. Her belief plus the support of coaches, trainers and a steadily growing fan base helped her realize her gold medal dream in Vancouver in 2010. Since then, her and her team’s support has spread like wildfire.

“Believe in U.S. is what everyone has been doing since Vancouver. The support we receive from trainers and staff and coaches and all the thousands of fans that come to events like Deer Valley prove that everyone is behind us.”

As Kearney sees it, every bit of support over the years has given her the chance to succeed in her sport.

“The support comes from people’s belief in you and of course from the driving and the late nights and the coaches spending hours analyzing video. All of those things are very important to my individual success. No one does it alone.”

If you Believe in U.S. and would like to be a part of Hannah Kearney and the Team’s quest for gold, please click here to make a pledge to the U.S. Ski Team through the Team’s Medals Madness.